Veganize Your Recipes – Easy Substitutes for Eggs!

If you have a basic understanding of the purpose of eggs in your traditional recipe, you will know which egg substitute will work just as well (or better) than eggs in your recipe. Reasons for using eggs in recipes include binding ingredients together, creating a certain texture, and working as a leavener (making it rise under heat). Rarely is it for flavor. Make sure to pay attention to the flavor that a food might add to a recipe— however, be aware that beans taste great in baked goods; you don’t even know they’re there. BONUS: When you use the options that contain moisture (non powdered options listed in the first column below), you can also omit oil as an ingredient in your recipes, reducing the fat content of the food. For instance, a can of black beans or pumpkin can take the place of both eggs and oil in a store-bought brownie or cake mix, reducing the calories and raising the nutrition- and fiber-content of the brownies or cake.

BINDERS / MOISTURE / THICKENERS
Note: Many vegetables, fruits, & nuts work for this purpose

*QUANTITIES = ONE EGG

• 1/2 banana (or one apple banana)

• 3 Tbs apple blended with a little water (aka applesauce) or any other similarly textured fruit (like pears or nectarines)

• 1/4 cup silken tofu or 1/8 cup of firm tofu

• 1 Tbs fresh ground flax seeds (grind them in a Vitamix or coffee grinder so the oils are fresh)

• 1/4 cup vegan yogurt (choose a flavor that complements your recipe)

• 1 Tbs agar agar flakes or 1 tsp agar agar powder (8-times more powerful than gelatin) + 1:4 water

• 1/2 can black or cannellini beans (will affect color so choose accordingly)

• 3 Tbs fresh or canned pumpkin or sweet potato (canned pumpkin pie filling can also be used if you want the extra spices that come in it)

• 1/4 cup puréed or grated zucchini

• 1 Tbs cornstarch or potato starch + 1:3 water

• 1 Tbs chia seeds + water (soak 1:3 in hot water for 5 minutes, until seeds become gelatinous)

• 3 Tbs creamy nut butter

• 1 Tbs vegan protein powder + 1:3 water

TEXTURE

• 2 Tbs avocado (creamy, great for pie filling)

• 1/4 cup tofu (use silken for flan or creme brulee, and firm for quiche-like texture)

• Canned black or cannellini beans (moist and chewy bready texture)

• 4 Tbs aqua faba (for meringue), aka liquid from cooked or canned chickpeas, whipped for 5 minutes at high speed

LEAVENERS (rise up!)

• 1/2 tsp baking soda + 1 Tbs water

• 1 1/2 tsp Ener-G-egg replacer + 2 Tbs water (tip: mix with carbonated water instead of flat water for more rising action)

• 4 Tbs liquid aqua faba (whipped on high for about 5 minutes, until frothy) or use 3 Tbs chickpea flour + 1:1 water (whisked until creamy)